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Global Range: From the state of Sonora, Mexico through Central America (Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama) the Caribbean (Cuba, Jamaica, Saint Vincent, The Grenadines, Carriacou, Trinidad), and extending in South America through Colombia and Venezuela to Guyana; through Ecuador and Peru and to Acre, Brazil (Berg 1972). Introduced, and possibly naturalized, to south Florida.

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Ecology

Habitat

Southern Pacific Dry Forests Habitat

This taxon is found in the Southern Pacific dry forests ecoregion, which is situated along the southeastern versant of the Sierra Madre del Sur Mountains including the Pacific Ocean coastal plain. These forests are a key locus of endemism for butterflies, and has the greatest diversity of scorpions and spiders in the entirety of Mexico. This ecoregion is classified in the Tropical and Subtropical Dry Broadleaf Forests biome. The Southern Pacific dry forests exhibit a moderate to high faunal species richness; for example, there are a total of 744 vertebrate taxa recorded in the ecoregion, with a particularly large number of endemic reptiles.

The ecoregion elevation ranges from sea level to 1400 metres. The climate is tropical and dry, with precipitation levels of 800 millimetres (mm) per annum. There is an extended arid season, which factor drives the prevalence of deciduous vegetation. The forests grow chiefly on shallow, well-drained soils derived from limestone. Closer to the base of the Sierra Madre del Sur Mountains, the soils are more rocky, and are derived from igneous rocks.

The dominant plant species include Mauto (Lysiloma divaricatum), Bursera excelsa and Fragrant Bursera (B. fagaroides), which are typically found in association with Pochote (Ceiba aesculifolia), Comocladia engleriana, and Trichilia americana. In the Mexican state of Michoacán, the macro plant species more generally in evidence are Ficus insipida, F. pertusa, Breadnut (Brosimum alicastrum), Licania arborea, Sideroxylon capiri and Elephant Ear (Enterolobium cyclocarpum).

There are a number of anuran species present in the ecoregion, including: Blunt-toed Chirping Frog (Eleutherodactylus modestus VU); Cloud Forest Stream Frog (Ptychohyla euthysanota NT), found from southeast Oaxaca to Guatemala and eastern El Salvador; Matuda's Spikethumb Frog (Plectrohyla matudai VU). A special status caecilian found in the ecoregion is the Mexican Caecilian (Dermophis mexicanus VU), a fossorial species that can attain lengths up to sixty centimetres. A special status salamander found in the ecoregion is the Sierra Juarez Salamander (Pseudoeurycea juarezi CR), a near-endemic known only between Cerro Pelón and Vista Hermosa in the Sierra de Juarez, north-central Oaxaca. The White-lipped Peeping Frog (Eleutherodactylus albolabris CR), a near-endemic known chiefly from Agua del Obispo, central Guerrero.

The Southern Pacific dry forests contain numerous reptilian taxa, including the following endemics: Bocourt's Anole (Norops baccatus); Taylor's Anole (Norops taylori), known only to Puerto Marquez area, in northern Acapulco, Guerrero; Simmons' Anole (Anolis simmonsi), restricted to the vicinity of Pinotepa Nacional, Oaxaca; Stegneger's Blackcollar Spiny Lizard (Sceloporus stejnegeri), restricted to the Pacific versant in the state of Guerrero, Mexico; Red Earth Snake (Geophis russatus), found in a very narrow range outside of Putla, Oaxaca; Sierra Mije Earth Snake (Geophis anocularis), known only from around Totontepec on the Atlantic versant of the Sierra Mixe, Oaxaca; Ramirez`s Hooknose Snake (Ficimia ramirezi), restricted to the Pacific versant of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, Niltepec, Oaxaca; Halberg's Cloud Forest Snake (Cryophis hallbergi), found only in northern Oaxaca, at Sierra de Juarez and Sierra Mazateca; Isthmian Earth Snake (Geophis isthmicus), known only from the vicinity of Tehuantepec, Mexico; the endemic Macdougall's Spiny Lizard (Sceloporus macdougalli).

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NatureServe Conservation Status

Reasons: Widely distributed in various habitats. Found in Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean and into South America as far as Guyana and Acre, Brazil (Berg 1972). Occurs in Chiapas, Mexico in the tall green or sub-deciduous forests where dense groupings are formed; and in limestone regions (Miranda in Mills 1957). Considered one of the dominant species of the forest of northern Petén, Guatemala (Lundell in Mills 1957). Introduced to and possibly naturalized in southern Florida, US (Berg 1972).

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Relevance to Humans and Ecosystems

Benefits

Latex: Latex is mixed with water, warmed and drunk for dry coughs and for itchy sore throat, by the Guyana Patamona. Latex is applied directly on sores in the mouth and other parts of the body for healing, by the Guyana Patamona.

Economic Uses

Comments: The seed kernels are very nutritious, in food value they compare favorably with maize. Their percentage of essential amino acids is higher than maize, especially triptophane. The leaves are good cattle forage (the Spanish name "ramon" means browse for forage). This species is abundant near Maya ruins. It appears certain that the Maya Indians deliberately planted this species as an important alternative food. It has been suggested that this species played a key role in sustaining human population densities in the Maya civilization of 300-900 A.D. (Brucher 1989). Known as a timber species in Costa Rica (Alvarez 1991). The sapwood is suitable for veneers and miscellaneous purposes not requiring resistance to decay. However, heartwood of very limited commercial possibilities because of its small size and scarcity (Record and Hess 1943 in Mills 1957). Commonly used for factory, light, heavy and building contruction, cabinetmaking, chairs, decorative and figured veneer, desks, domestic flooring, fine, rustic and utility furniture and furniture components, handles/shafts, sub-flooring and tables (Tree Talk 1994).

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Wikipedia

Brosimum alicastrum

Brosimum alicastrum, the breadnut or Maya nut, is a tree species in the Moraceae family of flowering plants, whose other genera include figs and mulberries The plant is known by a range of names in indigenous Mesoamerican and other languages, including: ramon, ojoche, ojite, ojushte, ujushte, ujuxte, capomo, mojo, ox, iximche, masica in Honduras, uje in Michoacan, and mojote in Jalisco.

Contents

This tree is found on the west coast of central Mexico and in southern Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, the Caribbean, and the Amazon. Large stands occur in moist lowland tropical forests at 300–2000 m elevation (especially 125–800 m), in humid areas with rainfall of 600–2000 mm, and average temperatures of 24°C (75°F).[1]

The breadnut fruit disperses on the ground at different times throughout its range. It has a large seed covered by a thin, citrus-flavored, orange-colored skin favored by a number of forest creatures. More importantly, the large seed which is enveloped by the tasty skin is an edible ‘nut’ that can be boiled or dried and ground into a meal for porridge or flatbread. Breadnut is nutritious and has value as a food source, and may have formed a part of the diet of the pre-ColumbianMaya of the lowlands region in Mesoamerica,[2][3] although to what extent has been a matter of some debate among historians and archaeologists and no verified remains or illustrations of the fruit have been found at any Mayan archaeological sites.

It was planted by the Maya civilization two thousand years ago and it has been claimed in several articles by Dennis E. Puleston to have been a staple food in the Maya diet,[3] although other research has downplayed its significance. In the modern era, it has been marginalized as a source of nutrition and has often been characterized as a famine food.

The tree lends its name to the Maya archaeological sites of Iximché and Topoxte, both in Guatemala and Tamuin (reflecting the Maya origin of the Huastec peoples). It is one of the 20 dominant species of the Maya forest.[4] Of the dominant species, it is the only one that is wind-pollinated. It is also found in traditional Maya forest gardens.[5]

The breadnut is high in fiber, calcium, potassium, folic acid, iron, zinc, protein and B vitamins.[6] It has a low glycemic index (<50) and is very high in antioxidants. The fresh seeds can be cooked and eaten or can be set out to dry in the sun and eaten later. Stewed, the nut tastes like mashed potato; roasted, it tastes like chocolate or coffee. It can be prepared in numerous other dishes. In Petén, Guatemala, the breadnut is being cultivated for exportation and local consumption as powder, for hot beverages, and bread.